Surgical Treatment
- Discectomy for a Herniated Disc. A discectomy is a surgical procedure performed to remove a portion of the bulged or herniated disc, thereby relieving pressure on the impacted spinal nerves ...
- Foraminotomy for a Herniated Disc. ...
- Laminectomy/ Laminotomy for a Herniated Disc. ...
Full Answer
Can your bulging disks heal themselves?
With proper exercise and healthy spine habits, a bulging disc rarely requires surgery. In fact, it can typically be treated at home and can usually heal on its own within 6 to 12 months. The most important thing is to give the bulging disc the opportunity to heal by: Changing the movements and habits that put unhealthy loads through the disc.
How to correct bulging disc?
Commonly prescribed conservative treatments include: Anti-inflammatory medications Epidural steroid injections Physical therapy Exercise Lifestyle changes, including losing weight and quitting smoking Guidelines for surgery For many patients, these options are enough to help control bulging disc symptoms.
How to fix a bulging disc?
Mar 08, 2017 · Bulging Disc Treatment. A patient should change body positioning and behaviors (sleeping, sitting and posture positions) first to help reduce any bulging disc symptoms or pain caused by the affected disc. Addressing causal factors may help to …
Can a bulging disc go back to normal?
Nov 12, 2021 · In the early stages of a disc bulge, your body’s natural response is to tighten up and protect the spine and buttocks area. Because of this, one of the the simplest things you can do yourself to relieve radiating back pain caused my a disc bulge is stretching piriformis muscle.
What is the best treatment for disc bulge?
Treatment for a Bulging DiscMedication. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen are the first-line medications for a bulging disc. ... Physical therapy. ... Chiropractic. ... Massage. ... Ultrasound therapy. ... Heat or cold. ... Limited bed rest. ... Braces and support devices.More items...•Nov 27, 2018
What is the fastest way to heal a bulging disc?
How to heal a herniated disc quicklyAlternate applying heat and cold.Stay as active as you can. Take walks to avoid becoming too stiff from resting too often.Try alternative treatments like acupuncture, massage, or chiropractic.Jan 27, 2022
Can a bulging disc heal itself?
The good news is that in most cases — 90% of the time — pain caused by a herniated disc will go away on its own within six months. Initially, your doctor will likely recommend that you take an over-the-counter pain reliever and limit activities that cause pain or discomfort.Sep 1, 2020
How long does a bulging disc take to heal?
Most (80-90%) cases involving bulging or herniated discs will heal within 2-4 months.Aug 8, 2020
Is walking good for a bulging disc?
Absolutely. Walking is an excellent choice for patients with herniated discs, as it stimulates blood flow and oxygen to the cells. It also helps keep your discs hydrated, which is important for healing. Other low-impact aerobic activities to try are swimming and cycling.Jan 14, 2019
Is a bulging disc serious?
One of the most significant complications of a bulging disc is permanent nerve damage. Without treatment, compressed nerve roots in the spine can be permanently damaged, leading to chronic pain, weakness, and loss of sensation.
Can a bulging disc get worse?
Do disc bulges get worse over time? Unfortunately if disc bulges are left untreated, and if the abnormal spinal stresses that caused them continue, they will often worsen over time.
What is the difference between a bulging disc and a herniated disc?
"A bulging disc is like letting air out of a car tire. The disc sags and looks like it is bulging outward. With a herniated disc, the outer covering of the disc has a hole or tear. This causes the nucleus pulposus (jelly-like center of the disc) to leak into the spinal canal."Nov 6, 2018
Can a chiropractor fix a bulging disc?
Yes! Chiropractic care is the preferred treatment method for many patients suffering from a bulging disc. It is non-invasive and does not require drugs or injections of any kind. Chiropractic can help provide you with improved mobility, decreased pain, and overall better quality of life.Feb 16, 2020
Do bulging discs shrink?
Over time, the herniation tends to shrink and you may experience partial or complete pain relief. In most cases, if low back and/or leg pain is going to resolve it will do so in about 6 weeks. Figure 1. Normal and herniated disc.
What are the symptoms of a bulging disc in your lower back?
SymptomsArm or leg pain. If your herniated disk is in your lower back, besides pain in your lower back, you'll typically feel pain in your buttocks, thigh and calf. ... Numbness or tingling. People who have a herniated disk often have radiating numbness or tingling in the body part served by the affected nerves.Weakness.Feb 8, 2022
So, What Is A Bulging Disc?
To understand what a bulging disc is, we must first understand the anatomy of the spine. Put simply, the spine is made up of individual vertebrae s...
What Causes A Bulging Disc?
● Seated in poor posture for long periods of time (in office, driving, etc..)● Repetitive bending, lifting, and twisting (Esp in poor form). ● Heav...
How Is A Bulging Disc Different from Herniated Disc? and Which Is Worse?
Now that we know what a bulging disc is, let’s discuss disc herniation. ● In most simple terms, a herniated disc is when the fluid material from th...
What Are The Symptoms of A Bulging Disc in The Lumbar Spine?
● Low Back Pain● Pain Can Travel Down Leg ● Decreased Lumbar Lordosis (Lower Back Curvature Becomes Flattened – Flatter Lower Back Over Time) ● Lum...
What Are The Most Effective Treatment Options?
With most bulging discs in the lower back, you want to use an extension based exercise programs. This can reverse the direction of the bulge and pu...
Exercise #1: Lying Figure-4 Stretch (For Piriformis)
In the early stages of a disc bulge, your body’s natural response is to tighten up and protect the spine and buttocks area. Because of this, one of...
Exercise #2: Prone Alternating Leg Raises
The prone leg lift creates spinal extension helping push the jelly-like material back towards the center and reduce bulging disc.
Exercise #3: Half Cobra Pose
The half cobra pose creates spinal extension helping push the nucleus (jelly) back towards the center and reduce bulging disc.
Exercise #4: Full Cobra Pose
The full cobra pose creates even more spinal extension than half cobra helping push the nucleus (jelly) back towards the center and reduce bulging...
Exercise #5: Abdominal Drawing Maneuver
A solid core foundation helps provide stability which in turn prevents re-injury and further injury from occurring. This will help reset the spine...
Is there a non surgical treatment for a bulging disc?
Non-Surgical Treatment Options. Alternative Treatments for a Bulging Disc. Although no single treatment plan is right for every patient, there are some bulging disc treatment guidelines that are often effective in relieving symptoms. While a bulging disc is not necessarily painful, nerve compression can result if displaced disc material causes ...
Can a bulging disc cause neck pain?
Upon diagnosing a bulging disc as the source of neck pain, back pain or radiating pain in the extremities, doctors will usually begin with a course of conservative treatments. Since a bulging disc can improve with time, initial treatment is generally aimed at pain management while the progress of the condition is monitored.
Can a bulging disc be treated?
For many patients, these options are enough to help control bulging disc symptoms. Most doctors view surgery to treat a bulging disc as a last resort because it is such an invasive process, requiring a large muscle-tearing incision, overnight hospitalization and a long recovery period.
What is the best treatment for a bulging disc?
Minimally Invasive treatments are becoming more common and endoscopic spine surgery might be an option in relieving the pain. Surgeons can utilize minor surgical techniques in order to correct bulging disc problems.
How to stop bulging discs?
A patient should change body positioning and behaviors (sleeping, sitting and posture positions) first to help reduce any bulging disc symptoms or pain caused by the affected disc. Addressing causal factors may help to slow the worsening of the condition.
What causes a bulging disc?
Potential Causes for a Bulging Disc 1 People who have led a sedentary lifestyle or those who smoke increase the chances for bulging disc. 2 Continuous strain on the disc from injury or heavy lifting and strain can wear them down throughout the years. 3 Weakened back muscles can accelerate the process and may lead to a sudden herniation of the weakened disc. 4 Although bulging discs occur over time, herniated discs may occur quickly by trauma. 5 Bad posture including improper body positioning during sleep, sitting, standing or exercise are all risk factors which may contribute to the development of a bulging disc. 6 Obesity 7 High contact sports or activities are also risk factors. 8 Runners who fail to use shoes that provide orthopedic support may also develop bulging discs. 9 Activities that place stress and strain on the spine can lead to the weakening of the discs.
What does it mean when your disc is bulging?
In most cases, when a bulging disc has reached this stage it is near or at herniation. Tingling or pain in the fingers, hands, arms, neck or shoulders. This could indicate a bulging disc in the cervical area. Pain in the feet, thighs, lower spine and buttocks. This is the most common symptom and could indicate an issue in the lumbar region.
Why do my discs bulge?
Although bulging discs occur over time, herniated discs may occur quickly by trauma. Bad posture including improper body positioning during sleep, sitting, standing or exercise are all risk factors which may contribute to the development of a bulging disc. Obesity. High contact sports or activities are also risk factors.
How to help a herniated disc?
A healthy weight reduction plan and exercise can be used to help obese patients. In some cases, a doctor may recommend physical therapy to strengthen muscles in the back and to regain any lost mobility. Before herniation, many of the non-surgical treatments are successful in managing bulging discs.
What is the function of the spine?
Your spine consists of vertebrae which have spinal discs in between to act as a shock absorber, preventing damage to the spinal tissue and bone. They also help to make movement easier. Discs have a hard casing and liquid-like center.
What is a bulging disc?
To understand what a bulging disc is, we must first understand the anatomy of the spine. Put simply, the spine is made up of individual vertebrae stacked on top of each other. Between each vertebrae is an intervertebral disc that provides a cushion so the vertebrae don’t rub together. The discs between the vertebrae, ...
How to tell if a disc is bulging?
What are the Symptoms of a Bulging Disc in the Lumbar Spine? 1 At times NO symptoms at all. [2] [7] 2 General Low back pain. [4] 3 Pain can travel down the leg if it pinches on a nerve. [4] 4 Decreased lumbar lordosis (lower back curvature becomes flattened). [6] 5 Muscle spasm [4]
How to relieve back pain from piriformis?
Exercise #1: Lying Figure-4 Stretch ( For Piriformis) In the early stages of a disc bulge, your body’s natural response is to tighten up and protect the spine and buttocks area. Because of this, one of the the simplest things you can do yourself to relieve radiating back pain caused my a disc bulge is stretching piriformis muscle.
Does a bulging disc hurt?
[1] [3] * It is important to note that a bulging disc doesn’t always touch the nerves , and for many a bulged disc doesn’t even produce any pain at all. [2] [7] However, it could progress ...
Can you reverse a bulging disc?
Leon’s Notes: There’s some research showing that a bulging disc can in fact be reversed with exercise and posture modifications. Meaning you could actually push back the disc material, so it doesn’t bulge. With most bulging discs in the lower back, you want to try an extension based exercise program (Mckenzie method is a popular one). [5] .
Can you do a plank with a low back?
Notes: The most important thing is NOT to arch your low back when doing the Plank exercise. Only hold the plank for as long as you can engage your core muscles without straining the low back muscles. Other forms of exercise that may help, that were not mentioned above include core strength, walking, pilates, and yoga.
Can a bulging disc be resolved?
Usually bulging disc can be resolved over time if managed well, whereas the herniated disc will just scar down since the annulus (outer layer of disc) has ruptured. A nice visual spine model is provided below differentiating between normal, bulging, and herniated discs: [1] [7]
Bulging Disc Causes and Risk Factors
A bulging disc is caused by the weakening of the outer portion of the disc. While aging and everyday wear and tear on our spines are the most common causes of bulging discs, there are things that can cause the degeneration of our discs to happen more quickly, such as:
Bulging Disc Symptoms
The symptoms of bulging disc vary depending on the severity and the location. You can have a bulging disc along any part of the spine. A bulging disc in the cervical spine, thoracic spine, and lumbar spine can affect different parts of the body that the affected nerve connects to.
Bulging Disc Treatment Options
Bulging disc treatment begins with conservative therapy. In many cases, a combination of the following can provide relief (check with your doctor to find out what is right for you):
What is a bulging disc in the spine?
A bulging disc in the spine is, simply put, a disc that has bulged outside of the space it is meant to occupy but has not ruptured. This condition usually occurs in the lower back or neck and is a result of deteriorated or weakened discs swelling through a crevice in the spine.
How to tell if a disc is bulging?
If the bulging disc is in the cervical spine: 1 Deep neck and shoulder pain 2 Radiating neck and arm pain that could extend to the fingers and hands 3 Weakness in arm or shoulder muscles
What are the symptoms of a bulging disc in the lumbar spine?
Symptoms that could occur if the disc is in the thoracic and lumbar spine include: Muscle weakness, numbness or tingling in the lower extremities. Bowel and bladder behavior changes. In worse cases, paralysis from the waist down may occur. If the bulging disc is in the cervical spine: Deep neck and shoulder pain.
What is segmental spinal stenosis?
Segmental spinal stenosis is a result of the bulging disc causing a narrowing in the spinal canal. Sometimes the presence of bone spurs on the facet joints behind the offending disc can cause foraminal ...
What is the difference between a herniated disc and a bulging disc?
A bulging disc is still contained and may swell out of place and cause pressure on a nerve or the spinal cord, but a herniated disc has cracked and ruptured, causing back and neck pain, as well as pain radiating down the arms or legs.
Can a bulging disc be treated?
While not always a condition that needs treatment, there are times when medication and sometimes surgery will be necessary to alleviate symptoms. Like a herniated disc, a bulging disc in the spine can be treated with cost-effective and minimally-invasive surgical procedures.
Can bulging discs cause pain?
The two conditions have similarities, but their defining traits are very different. While a bulging disc can be a nuisance, it doesn’t necessarily cause pain, where a herniated disc does in most cases. The difference lies in the actual effect the condition has on the disc.
How do you know if you have a bulging disk?
The symptoms of a bulging disk depend on its severity and location in the spine. Some people may experience no initial symptoms. However, with further disk degeneration and herniation, a person may have the following symptoms: back pain that worsens with movement, such as sneezes. spasms in the back muscles.
Why does my spine bulge?
Bulging disks result from a reduction of gel in the disk center. Less gel causes the disk to become compressed and start to bulge. The gel in a spinal disk naturally wears away over time. A bulging disk is usually the result of aging, but it can also be due to spinal injury, such as the result of a car accident.
Why do my vertebrae bulge?
Bulging disks occur when the spongy disks between the vertebrae become compressed and bulge out. A common cause of bulging disks is aging. If this degradation continues, it can lead to a herniated disk. Herniated disks can cause pain, numbness, and mobility issues.
What is the term for the spongy disks that make up the spine?
A bulging disk occurs when the spongy disks between the bones in the spine become compressed and bulge out. A series of interlocking bones, called vertebrae, make up the spine. These vertebrae provide support for the spine and enable the back to bend and move. Between each vertebra is soft tissue, known as a spinal disk, ...
What is a herniated disk?
Sometimes, the outer layer of the disk breaks down and causes a herniated disk. A herniated disk, also known as a ruptured or slipped disk, is when the gel-like center leaks out through a tear in the disk’s exterior wall.
What is the soft tissue between vertebrae?
Between each vertebra is soft tissue, known as a spinal disk, which prevents bones from rubbing against each other. The disks also act as shock absorbers to prevent damage during movement. Each disk contains a tough outer later with gel in the middle. This gel may decrease with age, become compressed, and push out.
What is the pain in the back?
back pain that worsens with movement, such as sneezes . spasms in the back muscles. weakness and numbness in the legs and feet. reduced mobility in the legs, knees, and ankles . decreased bladder and bowel control. difficulty walking.
